In todayâs fast-paced digital age, catching up to the latest technology gadget can seem insurmountable for seniors.
Helping bridge the technology age-gap, twins Daniel and Rebecca Alfred and Sam Jamieson, all Enactus Okanagan College students, have stepped up to connect 28 Missionwood Retirement Resort residents with 15 student volunteers for hands-on tablet tutorials throughout the month of March.
Over the course of four sessions, the Silver Surfers project covered the basics of how to use an iPad from turning it on, adjusting volume controls, taking pictures, FaceTiming with family, and how to post, like and comment on Facebook.
âWorking part-time at Missionwood, Iâd see family members give the gift of a tablet to their grandparent, but without showing them how to use it,â said Daniel Alfred, now in his third year of a Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Okanagan College. âIâd help where I could, but I knew more could be done. That sparked the idea of Silver Surfers.â
He points out that research has shown that many seniors face depression and isolation. Silver Surfers was developed with the goal of helping them reconnect with their loved ones by using the very technology they were being gifted to alleviate these feelings.
First lesson: taking a selfie.
âIt was a great ice-breaker with the volunteers, and was quite fun to see these individuals, many over 70 years young, discover the phenomenon of the selfie,â added Alfred. âIt was incredible to see the relationships forming, and the true connections.â
âI enjoyed the students so much,â said resident Lois Patterson. âThey were very kind, helpful, and patient with us seniors.â
Complementing the hands-on learning experience, the three business students designed an illustrative booklet with step-by-step instructions to help refresh the memory of the tablet users ongoing.
TELUS Âé¶čAV generously loaned five 3G enabled iPads to the cause, and has committed to doing so again as the program expands to other residences. The project is also branching out across the region after Enactus Okanagan College at the Salmon Arm campus expressed interest in launching Silver Surfers at a seniorsâ residence in the community.
